Movieland

Chapter 11

"Max! Wake up!"

Mom stood in my bedroom doorway with her Walley World coffee mug.

"What time is it?" My shirt was soaked through with sweat.

"Nine-thirty. Do you want breakfast?"

"Shit," I said, rolling in my blanket and tumbling to the floor. I unwrapped and stood. "I'm late for school!"

She waited for me to breathe. "No school today, remember? You're going to the lab. I already talked to Ms. Genero. Some dream, huh?"

I smacked my lips. My tongue tasted like I licked a battery. "Guess so. Yes, please, to food. And I need a lighter blanket. I'm getting too hot. Crazy dreams."

"Don't tell me yet. Not until you've eaten."

I hustled through the kitchen and took a bite out of a Pop Tart. "Yeah, yeah. Or else it'll come true."

After breakfast, I picked Frankie up. We had no way of contacting Mrs. X to notify her he was coming. Better to ask for forgiveness. Or make Frankie wait in the car.

I wore my "SAVE FERRIS" shirt. Frankie went with his frayed Cornetto Trilogy shirt from the Edgar Wright marathon at the Lyric.

We passed Starlight on the way to the lab. The marquee in the morning light looked like a celebrity with no makeup. Clouds filled the sky, coloring it the curdled gray of spoiled milk. We entered a tunnel of thick green trees, turned around a wide bend, and blew by a chipped metal sign reading "WOPR Industries". The trees ended and a red brick road began. We dipped and climbed a hill. The slick lab appeared.

We were transported into an ancient future. The lab married innovation with medieval times, bridged by prosperity. It wasn't so much outdated as evolved. Each wing sported trios of solar-paneled silver spires that stuck into the gray sky like tridents. All it needed was a moat to complete the image of a visionary castle.

I stopped at a security pole. A robust guard with popcorn kernels for a nose paused his TV to check our IDs. "Who's your favorite ninja turtle?" I asked.

He looked at my ID and back at his TV where Secret of the Ooze played. "Got to fill the time. Raphael. Yours?"

"Leo. Love those ninjatos."

He handed my ID back and leaned forward. "What about you, pal?"

Frankie fumbled for his wallet. So much for fearless.

"Don't worry about it. I trust you kids. Who's your favorite ninja turtle?"

"Oh," Frankie mumbled. "Splinter, probably."

The guard snorted. "Congratulations. Can't wait to hear all about it. Have fun."

The gate lifted and towards the simulator we pushed.

A massive fountain took up most of the driveway. Its centerpiece was an impeccable sculpture of a shirtless Andy Dufresne staring up to the heavens as rain poured down. A geyser of water from the top of his head provided the rain showers that pooled at the bottom of the fountain.

Beyond that, Mrs. X stood in the open front door. "Maxine, Maxine. Welcome. This must be Frankie?"

Frankie already had his hand held out. "Why do they call you Mrs. X?"

"Sorry," I said sheepishly. "I thought that maybe if it's not too much trouble he could accompany me."

"Frankie," she said, wrapping her arm around his shoulder without touching him. "You're welcome to come, under one condition."